Radio device based transactions at a point of sale terminal

ABSTRACT

Virtual mobile rewards, gift cards, and/or physical world retailers&#39; loyalty and reward programs are aggregated into a common account accessible and transactional from a radio device. Subscribers gain access to discounted codes, coupons, rebates, gift cards, and/or limited time offers, on their radio device for food, travel, lifestyle, electronics, and entertainment products that fit their lifestyle spending habits, enabling users to edit participating retailers, manage separate account balances, and present preferred discounted offers at retailers and apply discount towards purchase of goods.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/706,361, entitled “Mobile Phone Based Transactions At A Point Of SaleTerminal,” filed on Sep. 15, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,546,285; whichclaims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/249,761,entitled “Mobile Phone Based Rebate Device For Redemption At A Point OfSale Terminal,”, filed on Apr. 10, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,792,596;which claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/003,927,entitled “Mobile Phone Based Rebate and Gift Card Aggregation”, filed onJan. 8, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,700,457; which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/878,094, filed Jan. 3, 2007, entitled“Mobile Phone Based Rebate and Gift Card Aggregation,” all of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to rebate reward and/or gift cardtechnologies. More particularly, it relates to user application basedservices for rebate and gift card technologies.

2. Background of the Related Art

As more retailers add loyalty and reward programs to their CustomerRelationship Management (CRM) efforts, capturing the required additionalcustomer data requires lengthy and intrusive questions often leading theconsumer to give false information, fearful the information will be soldto third parties. As mobile device saturation reaches peak numbers inthe coming years, retailers know an increasing percentage of theircustomers carry mobile devices, but lack a way to incorporate thesedevices to build a trusting relationship.

Traditional programs offer discounted offers or coupons from a singlesource. This system and process lacks scalability, and provides no wayto ingest mobile transactions into a master rewards program, trackmobile transactions back to a mobile customer, and show valued customersspecialized treatment and added value.

Ultimately, mobile customers need a single trusted service to managemultiple reward programs, and retailers need a marketing channel trustedby their mobile device customers and visibility to who is redeemingtheir loyalty points on a regular basis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a methodimplements a mobile radio based rebate processing reward system. Themethod receives a rebate transaction identifier assigned to the radiodevice, the rebate transaction identifier being assigned to the rebaterequest by the POS rebate processing system. The rebate transactionidentifier is output to the remote rebate processing center. Statusinformation for the rebate request is retrieved from the rebateprocessing center. Status information is synchronized with a remoteapplication server for display on a mobile radio device.

An interactive radio device-based interface for facilitating rebateprocessing in accordance with another aspect of the invention includesan interface operable to display a plurality of rebates for interactionby a user to redeem for a product at a physical point of sale terminal.Promotion information is received from a centralized processing network,the promotion information comprising a product identifier and aplurality of rebate options for receiving an authorized rebate, at leastone of the rebate options having a cash value different than another oneof the alternative rebates. Promotion information is communicated to acommercial radio device. A status of the promotion based on purchases ofthe product is received, the status indicating a number of rebaterequests for the promotion and a number of authorized rebates fulfilledfor each of the rebate options for the promotion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description with referenceto the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an overview of Stored Account Value Rewards (SAVR) servicearchitecture and platforms according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of networked components used to register a newaccount.

FIG. 3 is an architecture diagram showing components of the back endprocessing systems when transacting a discount code.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing a redemption process and rewardsapplication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The invention relates to systems and methods for implementing a virtualmobile rewards program designed to aggregate physical world retailers'loyalty and reward programs into a single account accessible andtransactional from an Internet capable mobile radio device.

Stored Value Rewards (SVR) is a program that use Mobile Directory Number(MDN)/Mobile Identification Number (MIN)/Mobile Station InternationalSubscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) to register a virtual mobilerewards account to provide user with $XX in coupons, offers, and limitedtime deals on food, lifestyle, electronics, and entertainment directfrom retailers. The program aggregates 1000+ loyalty programs into asingle account accessible and transactionable from the mobile device.Coupon codes, PINs, SKUs, and barcodes are aggregated from multipleprograms, recognized by participating Point of Sale (POS) terminals,stored on a secure server, and accessible from a single BREW/FLASH/J2MEapplication. Accounting checks & balances are managed per transaction byan accounting server, which then exchanges data with the applicationserver, to which the application synchronizes.

In an embodiment: the Point of Sale (POS) terminal exchanges data andupdates a centralized Accounting Server. The accounting Server updatesan Application Server storing the Virtual Account. The Virtual Accountis accessible and viewable by the Mobile Application on the device.

Introduction to the Stored Account Value Rewards (SAVR) Program

Point of Sale Systems (POS)—POS terminals accept rebates, productidentification numbers (PINs), Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), and Barcodes(Discount Codes) in a plurality of different ways, but all forms ofdiscounts and application against a transaction resolve to a numericalID or code that requires authentication. This invention uses the singlepoint of convergence by integrating with the POS backend processingsoftware; thus allowing a single view to the single process in place ofupdating Point of Sale (POS) processing systems when new PINs, SKUs, anddiscount codes are added. Using this process, participating POSterminals will be prepared to recognize and process new productidentification numbers (PINs) and codes that will be recognized asMobile Transactions and routed to appropriate accounting systemsprocessing, authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA), andreporting environments.

Point of Sale (POS) systems and authentication, authorization andaccounting (AAA) servers are prepared to receive new Discount Codes forthis mobile program by updating the scripts containing the algorithm forreversing discount codes to recognize the mobile identifier, and routeto the appropriate authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)server. Point of Sale (POS) terminals will perform standard discountcode look-up authentication as it would for any discount or gift card.When the discount code is authenticated, the POS terminal determines thetransaction to be a mobile transaction. The transaction is processed inits own usual fashion and per the retailers Terms and Conditions, butadditionally all transactional data is copied to the centralizedAccounting Server.

Mobile Directory Number (MDN) is used as a cash register locator for taxpurposes.

Accounting Server—The Accounting Server is a secure centralized serverthat processes and stores the transactional data for each virtualaccount ID. This server is networked to all participating Point of Sale(POS) terminal processing systems, the authentication, authorization,and accounting (AAA) server, and the Application Server to which thedata is synchronized and exported. The Accounting Server hosts, posts,aggregates, and manages the participating loyalty program rules,currencies, and transactional data. For each transaction at a retailPoint of Sale (POS) terminal, the Accounting Server processes thetransactions against the appropriate loyalty account by crediting ordebiting the stored value/balance. The Accounting Server makes accountmetadata available for additional servers and systems to extractinformation real-time. This server has the following functionalities:

For new accounts, when the Accounting Server receives registration data,the Accounting Server creates a session and aggregates all participatingretailers and starting balances, creates discount codes specific to theaccount, then stores them under a Virtual Account ID. Virtual AccountIDs are unique identification numbers that will follow users across anymobile phone or device. Each participating retailer within the accountis assigned a sub-account ID, which is tied to the Virtual Account ID.Using a series of algorithms, the discount codes resolve back to theRetailer ID, so transactions can be resolved back to the Virtual AccountID. The Accounting Server stores new accounts in a live environmentavailable for POS terminal processing systems, reporting systems, andAPIs for add-on management applications. All IDs are invisible to theuser.

The Accounting Server activates a new account by applying MobileDirectory Number (MDN), Mobile Identification Number (MIN), and otherdata passed by the Application Server against an algorithm to create aunique ID for the account called the Virtual Account ID.

The algorithm is applied against the Mobile Identification Number(MIN)/Mobile Directory Number (MDN)/International Mobile SubscriberIdentity (IMSI)/Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number(MSISDN) to create the Virtual Account ID.

The algorithm is applied against the Virtual Account ID to create aRetail Account IDs for each participating retailer's offers within aVirtual Account.

Any sub account or loyalty program added later is created against theunique ID.

The algorithm is applied against each Retailer ID to create DiscountCodes stored in an account.

The Algorithm is added to an authentication, authorization, andaccounting (AAA) script for reversing and authenticating discount codesfor the Point of Sale (POS) terminal.

The accounting server uses a discount code to determine the VirtualAccount ID, enabling all transactional data to be routed to theappropriate Virtual account copied to all reporting systems accordingly.

Discount Codes (PINs/SKUs/Barcodes)

Discount codes presented at the retail Point of Sale (POS) terminal mustbe traceable back to the user's Virtual Account for transactionprocessing, reporting, gifting, rewards, and additional features.Discount codes stay with each retailer sub account allowing the value tobe debited like a gift card, and credited for rewards. To achieve this,discount codes are created and assigned when the Accounting Serverreceives initial registration data. Information sent by a mobile deviceis used against an algorithm to create discount codes under eachretailer ID. As mentioned above, the reverse algorithm is used againstdiscount codes to determine the Virtual Account ID during a transaction;thus linking the account to the retail transaction, and enabling moredata to be captured and with minimal interaction from the customer andcashier.

Application Server—The Application Server hosts the environment for theVirtual Account accessed by the application. Although the AccountingServer synchronizes transactional data with the Application server, thisenvironment is kept securely separate for security reasons.

The Application Server is designed to synchronize with multiple externalenvironments to provide a comprehensive Virtual Account that managesdifferent loyalty programs into a single account accessible andtransactionable from the mobile device. At this application layer, thevirtual account can exchange credit and debit updates with theAccounting Server in real-time, synchronize data with many additionalPOS terminal aggregators, synchronize profile updates and deltas withdevice application, and export more robust reporting data than loyaltyand reward programs in place today.

Handset Application—The downloadable handset application serves as theviewer and dashboard to the virtual consolidation of retail rewardprograms. Once the user downloads and registers, the user accesses andsyncs with their Virtual Account residing on the Application Server.Registered users have real-time access to participating retailers'discounted offers, and present the offers on their mobile device atretailers' Point of Sale (POS) terminals. The application manages anddisplays the correct balance, credits, debits, and point conversionsassociated with the retailer's loyalty, affinity, and frequent customerreward program.

The network aware application can be in any runtime supportinginteractive menu system and a secure network connection including, butnot limited to Flash, J2ME, and BREW. The application synchronizes overa wireless data network, authenticating the user, and synchronizes theApplication Server to update the account profile on the mobile device.

Registering a Virtual Profile

Users must register within the application to activate a virtual accountand profile. Users set up accounts similar to a new Mobile OutlookExpress Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) or Mobile Gmail account exceptthat the Post Office Protocol (POP) & Simple Mail Transfer Protocol(SMTP) servers are already hardcoded to point to the Application Server.Registration requires the user to provide a username/nickname/password,and can choose the frequency that the account is to synchronizeautomatically.

Synchronization

The act of synchronizing is similar to ActiveSync or pocket Quicken forpersonal data assistants (PDAs). Once the user's login information isauthenticated, account data for each participating retailer is updated.

For security reasons the handset only synchronizes with the applicationlayer, and not directly with the accounting layer. To thwart fraud orhacking, the Application Server will have separate authentication andencryption for allowing device access vs. authenticating with theAccounting Server. As the number of retailers increases, the applicationcan sync with multiple Application Servers to update its residentaccount profile.

User Interface

The network aware application is menu driven allowing a user to accessand edit profile settings, account settings, retailers, andparticipating retailers. The Interface features a unique interface foreasy navigation across multiple retailers, and each retailer's multipleoffers.

Customization & Personalization

Not all retailer's offers appeal to all users, nor will they match alllifestyle spending habits. Users are offered two options to personalizetheir Virtual Account profile: (a) choose among pre-categorized personasidentified by popular mobile industry analysts including but not limitedto Road Warrior, Soccer mom, Gadget Geek, and Graduates, or (b) manuallydelete retailers.

To alleviate the risk of users churning due to retail offer overload,using proprietary logic, accounts without usage are deleted andsubstituted with retailers that relate or match redemption behavior.Additionally, a user can delete retailers manually, and keep only theoffers important to their lifestyle. Additionally, users may addretailers from a networked catalog of participating retailers, includingchoosing a line item entry for submitting a program they do not see inthe catalog.

Gifting

In the event a customer would like to gift the use of their discountcode, the account owner can gift a one-time use discount code to anothermobile device. Transport of the gifted discount code may be shortmessage system (SMS), Infrared (IR), Bluetooth, etc. For example, acustomer chooses to bestow a Starbucks discount upon a friend to helpthem reach the Starbucks monthly spending limits for additional freeoffers. In this case, the device application will create a one-timediscount code based on the original discount code, and encapsulate thenew discount code in an SMS message. In actuality, this one-timediscount code has no limitations regarding transport, only that thediscount code be presented at a Point of Sale (POS) terminal. Thetransaction is accurately recorded against the account holder'stransaction log, and displayed in their profile. Retailers will now havevisibility into the equivalent of a customer's gifting/sharing use oftheir gift cards.

FIG. 1 shows an overview of Stored Account Value Rewards (SAVR) servicearchitecture and platforms according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a POS kiosk, POS terminals, a management (MGMT) server, anauthentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, an accountingserver, a user profile, an application server, and a handsetapplication.

1.) The Point of Sale (POS) terminals are networked to the centralizedmanagement (MGMT) server.

2.) The Management (MGMT) server is networked to a router. The router isnetworked to the remote authentication, authorization and accounting(AAA) server. The router is also networked to the remote accountingserver.

3.) The authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) serverauthenticates discount codes.

4.) The accounting server processes transactional data. The accountingserver also updates user profiles, and syncs the user profile with theapplication server.

5.) The user profile is hosted on the application server.

6.) The application server organizes account data and synchronizes witha network aware application on the handset.

7.) The handset application caches the updated profile within thenetwork aware application.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of networked components used to register a newaccount.

As shown in FIG. 2, when an account is being assigned for the firsttime, the downloaded application must establish connectivity with theAccounting Server to capture and pass device data.

The Application Server pushes data to the Accounting server to see if anaccount exists, and if not, prompts to create a new account and VirtualAccount ID.

A link is established between the Virtual Account on the ApplicationServer, and the Virtual Account ID on the Accounting Server. The VirtualAccount ID is a transactional account used solely for financial accountmanagement functions. The Accounting Server will push data back to theApplication Server so they can be viewed by the device application aftertransactions, and account updates.

As shown in step 1 of FIG. 2, the user downloads the handset applicationand registers for a new account.

In step 2, the user chooses a username and/or a password, and clicks“Submit”.

In step 3, the handset application sends customer data and device datato the Application Server.

In step 4, the Application Server receives handset data, MDS/MIN, and auser's chosen log-in information.

The Application Server performs profile look up on the AccountingServer. If the return is negative, then the account is created.

In step 5, the Application Server sends all account data to theAccounting Server.

In step 6, the Accounting Server creates a new, encrypted VirtualAccount ID profile.

The Virtual Account ID is created based on the Virtual Account data.

A query and pull is performed from a database of latest participatingretailers.

The MDN and algorithm are used to create a set or starter Discount Codesin the account.

In step 7, the Accounting Server sends the new account ID to theApplication Server.

In step 8, the Application Server syncs with the Accounting Server.

In step 9, the user views the new account and starting balance, andoffers, via the device.

FIG. 3 is architecture diagrams showing components of the back endprocessing systems when transacting a discount code.

FIG. 3 shows a process of redeeming an offer at a Point of Sale (POS)terminal.

In step 1 of FIG. 3, the handset presents a discount code at the POSterminal.

In step 2, the discount code is entered into the POS terminal.

In step 3, the POS terminal authenticates the discount code at theAccounting Server and authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA)server.

The Accounting Server replies with an acknowledgement (ACK).

The POS terminal completes the transaction, and sends all data to theAccounting Server, including:

-   -   i. The transaction type: e.g., Mobile Rewards    -   ii. The Discount Code    -   iii. The retailer ID    -   iv. The transaction dollar amount; and    -   v. A timestamp

In step 4, the Accounting Server processes the transaction and updatesthe user profile, by:

-   -   Reversing the Discount Code to determine the Virtual Account ID;    -   Debiting value of the Discount Code;    -   Applying rewards if applicable; and    -   Updating reporting servers and transaction logs.

In step 5, the Accounting Server synchronizes all data to theApplication Server.

In step 6, the Application Server updates the Virtual Account profile.The Application Server pushes updated data to the handset application.The user may also pull down updates using a “SYNC” button.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing a redemption process and rewardsapplication.

FIG. 4 shows rewards redeemed and issued.

FIG. 4 shows that a discount code is presented on the user device at aretail Point of Sale (POS) terminal.

At the POS terminal, the discount code is entered.

The POS terminal sends the authentication, authorization and accounting(AAA) request to the Accounting Server.

At the Accounting layer, the discount code is authenticated at theauthentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server. Ifauthenticated, the accounting layer communicates with the POS terminal,which processes the transaction and prints a receipt.

The POS terminal sends transaction metadata to the Accounting Server.

The Accounting layer applies the transaction to the Virtual Account ID,and synchronizes with the Accounting Server.

The application layer applies new data to the virtual account, andprompts a synchronization session with the handset application.

The handset application displays the new balance on the user device.

After the first month, the accounting layer calculates monthly usage,applies rewards and credits to the account balances at select retailers.

The Application Layer synchronization updates the virtual account.

The Application Layer prompts a synchronization session with the handsetapplication.

The handset application displays the new balance on the user device.

While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplaryembodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to makevarious modifications to the described embodiments of the inventionwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of enabling a physical point of sale(POS) system to execute a transaction associated with a radio device tocompletion without the physical point of sale (POS) system ever havingreceived a financial account number from the radio device, comprising:receiving at an accounting server from a physical point of sale (POS)system, a transaction-specific unique code and not a financial accountnumber, the transaction-specific unique code without a financial accountnumber having been received by the physical point of sale (POS) systemfrom a given physical radio device that provided thetransaction-specific unique code, for executing a transaction, withoutproviding the financial account number; receiving thetransaction-specific unique code without the financial account number atthe accounting server for determination of a device-specific virtualaccount ID using device-specific identity information unique to theradio device, for routing the transaction to an authentication,authorization and accounting (AAA) server appropriate for thedevice-specific virtual account ID in a location remote from the radiodevice to authorize the physical point of sale (POS) system to executethe transaction to completion; and communicating an authorizationmessage for the transaction without also communicating the financialaccount number to the physical POS system that received thetransaction-specific unique code without the financial account numberfrom the radio device; wherein the transaction-specific unique code istraceable to the device-specific virtual account ID; wherein each of thePOS system and the radio device includes a combination of hardware andsoftware; and wherein the authorization message facilitates the physicalpoint of sale (POS) system to execute the transaction to completionwithout ever having received any financial account number from the radiodevice.
 2. The method of enabling a physical point of sale (POS) systemto execute a transaction associated with a radio device to completionwithout the physical point of sale (POS) system ever having received afinancial account number from the radio device according to claim 1,further comprising: receiving an aggregated plurality of retaildiscounts associated with a virtual account specifically for use by auser of the given physical radio device.
 3. The method of enabling aphysical point of sale (POS) system to execute a transaction associatedwith a radio device to completion without the physical point of sale(POS) system ever having received a financial account number from theradio device according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving aone-time gift code from another given physical radio device.
 4. Themethod of enabling a physical point of sale (POS) system to execute atransaction associated with a radio device to completion without thephysical point of sale (POS) system ever having received a financialaccount number from the radio device according to claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving a discount to the transaction based on a loyaltyreward program associated with a virtual account for a user of the radiodevice.
 5. The method of enabling a physical point of sale (POS) systemto execute a transaction associated with a radio device to completionwithout the physical point of sale (POS) system ever having received afinancial account number from the radio device according to claim 4,further comprising: accessing a plurality of different loyalty programsin the virtual account for the user of the radio device.
 6. The methodof enabling a physical point of sale (POS) system to execute atransaction associated with a radio device to completion without thephysical point of sale (POS) system ever having received a financialaccount number from the radio device according to claim 1, furthercomprising: generating a device-specific portion of thetransaction-specific unique code issued by the accounting server, forprovision to the given physical radio device at a time prior toexecution of the transaction to completion.
 7. A method performed by aphysical point of sale (POS) system to execute a transaction associatedwith a radio device to completion without the physical point of sale(POS) system ever having received a financial account number from theradio device, comprising: receiving from the radio device atransaction-specific unique code without also receiving any financialaccount number from the radio device; routing to a remote computersystem the transaction-specific unique code without also routing anyfinancial account number to the remote computer system, thetransaction-specific unique code including information enabling anaccounting server to determine, from the transaction-specific uniquecode without any financial account number a device-specific virtualaccount ID sufficient to authorize the physical point of sale (POS)system to execute a transaction to completion; and receiving anauthorization message for the transaction without also receiving anyfinancial account number from the radio device; wherein the virtualaccount ID is based on device-specific identity information unique tothe radio device; wherein the transaction-specific unique code istraceable to the device-specific virtual account ID; wherein the POSsystem includes a combination of hardware and software; and wherein theauthorization message facilitates the physical point of sale (POS)system to execute the transaction to completion without the POS systemever having received from the radio device and without the POS systemhaving ever provided to the remote computer system any financial accountnumber.
 8. The method performed by a physical point of the (POS) systemto execute a transaction associated with a radio device to completionwithout the physical point of sale (POS) system ever having received afinancial account number from the radio device according to claim 7,further comprising: receiving an aggregated plurality of retaildiscounts associated with the virtual account ID.
 9. The methodperformed by a physical point of sale (POS) system to execute atransaction associated with a radio device to completion without thephysical point of sale (POS) system ever having received a financialaccount number from the radio device according to claim 7, furthercomprising: applying a loyalty reward program to a virtual accountassociated with the virtual account ID.
 10. The method performed by aphysical point of sale (POS) system to execute a transaction associatedwith a radio device to completion without the physical point of sale(POS) system ever having received a financial account number from theradio device according to claim 7, further comprising: providing adevice-specific portion of the transaction-specific unique code issuedby the accounting server, to the given physical radio device.